Phone-hack saga: Prison officer cuffed in cop bung probe

A 31-year-old prison officer was arrested at his home in Northampton this morning as part of Scotland Yard's investigation into alleged bungs to cops. The probe is related to the Met's ongoing phone-hacking inquiry.

The unnamed suspect remains in police custody. He was cuffed over allegations of conspiracy to corrupt, contrary to the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906, and claims of misconduct in a public office, contrary to Common Law. Detectives working on the Operation Elveden probe, which is looking into accusations of journalists bribing police and public officials, said in what is becoming a familiar-sounding statement:

Today's arrest is the result of information provided to police by News Corporation's Management Standards Committee. It relates to suspected payments to a prison officer and is not about seeking journalists to reveal confidential sources in relation to information that has been obtained legitimately.

The latest Op Elveden cuffing brings the total number of arrests in that inquiry so far to 44.

Meanwhile, seven journalists and one private investigator have been charged under Operation Weeting - which is the Met's probe into the alleged hacking of voicemail messages by people who had worked for News International, which is the tarnished British newspaper empire of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.

Former NI boss Rebekah Brooks and Prime Minister David Cameron's ex-spin chief Andy Coulson are among those people charged. They are all due to appear at the Old Bailey on 26 September. ®